Sometimes
by Lexie-Rae
Summary: In 1x03 Peyton told Lucas that she stays with Nathan because "sometimes it's good, sometimes there's no one else". This is a few oneshots exploring some of those good times and some of the times when there was no one else. NP pre pilot.
1. High on the Tide

_This is inspired by the Leyton scene at the Rivercourt in 1x03. Peyton told Lucas that she stays with Nathan "'cause sometimes it's good. Sometimes there's no one else."_  
_This is just going to be a collection of oneshots exploring some of those good times, and some of the times when there was no one else._

_First chapter's set the day the beach photo was taken (the frame Nathan found in the Season 2 finale when packing up the apartment)  
Let me know if you think I should continue with a few more of these, Lexie :)_

Peyton stretched out her long limbs and yawned widely, happy to wake up on a Saturday morning without a hangover or memories of a break-up the night before.

'Morning, Babe.' Nathan greeted her from his propped position beside her.

She ran her gaze across his bare tanned torso and let a proud grin cover her features, happy to call him her guy, 'Hi there.'

'Nice to wake up in the same bed.' Nathan remarked referring to the fact that Friday night parties tended to end in spectacular fights and one of them spending the night on the couch.

'Sure is.' Peyton agreed wriggling towards the curve in her boyfriend's chest. She closed her eyes and sighed blissfully as Nathan stroked her curls with one hand and used the other to trace circles on the small of her back in a therapeutic action.

Nathan twisted slightly to avoid the glare of the sun streaming in through the nearby window, 'What do you want to do today?'

'This.' Peyton returned lightly, squinting to meet his gaze.

His blue eyes met the stare of her hopeful green orbs, 'Whatever you want.'

'That's a big statement.' Peyton remarked, 'What if I want to sit in my room and listen to records?'

Nathan shrugged, 'I'd talk you out of it, I know you can't resist my amazing good looks.'

She slapped him softly on the shoulder and pulled herself into a seated position, 'I guess it's too nice a day to spend inside.'

'We could stay in bed.' Nathan suggested an optimistic tone to his voice.

She interrogated him with one look and bit down on her lower lip in a gesture of indecision which silently drove Nathan a little crazy, 'We could go to the beach.'

'The beach _is_ hot.' He declared in what she took to be agreement.

There was a twinge of uncertainty that rippled through Peyton as she wondered if Nathan's wandering eye would return with the temptation of all the beautiful skin on show at the beach. Instantly she heard the voice of her best friend Brooke in her head telling her not to be so silly. Nathan was her boyfriend after all and he had complimented her just last week when she'd tried on her navy blue bikini, maybe she was over-thinking things like she usually did.

'Breakfast?' Nathan asked, not waiting for an answer.

She watched as he jumped from the bed and pulled on a discarded pair of shorts that had been hastily thrown aside late the previous night. He self-consciously ran his fingers through his unstyled hair in a way that Peyton secretly found adorable before heading downstairs to the kitchen.

Following in her boyfriend's footsteps, Peyton slipped from the sheets and shrugged on one of Nathan's t-shirts which was lying amongst the mess of clothing that littered the floor on the beach house's master bedroom. She tiptoed to the en suite bathroom welcoming the feeling of the cool tiling beneath her feet. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror she saw something in her eyes that had been absent for a long time, she recalled it as being happiness. There was a twinkle to them, along with a rosy tinge to her cheeks and a wide accompanying smile. She had to admit that it was a welcoming change from her usual frosty front.

The smell of bacon lured her away from the mirror and to the kitchen where she found Nathan sporting an apron.

She laughed heartily, 'Now that's sexy.'

He winked and pulled her towards him, offering a kiss at the same time. She squealed and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders to prevent herself from succumbing to the weakness in her knees and falling to the floor. She felt Nathan's hands slide down the cotton of her back and slip beneath the long shirt she was wearing to cup her bare bottom.

'Cheeky.' The word was in reference to her missing underwear but it didn't come from Nathan's lips.

The pair whirled round wildly to face a grinning Tim. Peyton rolled her eyes at the sight of him in just a small pair of briefs whilst Nathan groaned deeply in irritation.

'Bacon smells good, Nate, you know that I like mine extra crispy, right?' Tim said, moving towards the fridge in search of a drink.

As he opened the door Nathan reached out and slammed it shut, 'Get out, Tim.'

Tim smirked then on realising that his best friend was serious his smile fell, 'Come on, Nate, it's Saturday, we always have breakfast together!'

Peyton snorted, 'So that's who you dump me for, your boyfriend!'

Nathan's eyes flashed with anger, 'Tim!'

Before Tim could argue Nathan was pushing him to the French doors, not sparing a moment to let him collect his clothes from the next room. He pushed him out onto the decking and then locked the door to prevent any further interruptions.

Peyton shook her head in bemusement at the antics of Nathan's obsessed friend, 'You know he probably slept in your room last night and sniffed about in your underwear drawer.'

Nathan pulled a face, 'That's not funny.'

'No, it's not.' Peyton shook the butter knife at her boyfriend, 'It's hilarious.'

Nathan ran at her and lifted her in his arms before she had the chance to run. He laughed as she screeched and squirmed, kicking her legs madly whilst at the same time gripping onto him tightly.

'Let me go!' She demanded as he circled the centre island.

'Sure you want me to do that?' Nathan asked, eyebrow cocked he whipped his hands from beneath her for just a second letting her fall only the shortest of distances. He grinned as she screamed and clung to him firmly.

She whacked him playfully before bursting into a surge of joyous laughter that Nathan realised he didn't hear enough from her. He moved to the counter and sat her gently down, bringing his hand up to softly caress her cheek. She responded by slinking her hand behind his neck and bringing her lips to meet his. She was used to his usual intense style and so was surprised when Nathan softly grazed his lips against hers and let her lead him. Feeling extremely turned on by her half naked boyfriend who was cooking her breakfast and had chucked an extremely irritating Tim from the house, Peyton curled her legs around his waist and parted her lips inviting his tongue to roam.

Their passionate moment was only broken by the smoke alarm which began whirring crazily at the first sign of a little charring.

Nathan snatched a towel from the side and waved it madly at the ceiling in an attempt to cease the siren whilst Peyton looked on in amusement. She took the frying pan from the heat and pulled a box of Lucky Charms from the cupboard knowing that neither she nor Nathan liked crispy bacon like Tim did. Once the shrieking sound stopped the pair couldn't help but laugh at the disaster their simple meal had become.

'That was your fault.' Nathan told her as he shovelled a large spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

'It so was not!' She retorted, pouting through her grin.

He nodded insistently, 'You were distracting me! What do you expect me to do when you're waving your long legs in front of me, tasting as good as you do and not wearing any panties.'

She shrugged feigning innocence, 'It's never been a problem on game night.'

'You have no idea.' He told her causing a blush to fill her cheeks. 'Now come on, the quicker we go to the beach, the quicker we can go skinny dipping and the quicker we can come back and shower.'

'Gee don't wish the day away or anything.' Peyton said sarcastically.

'Can you blame me for wanting to see you in that skimpy bikini?' He asked brashly, leading her away from her breakfast by the wrist.

He pushed her ahead of him as they ascended the stairs so that he could watch as her hips swayed from side to side and so that her endless legs could tease him. Although he'd initially wanted to spend the day in bed he was beginning to think that the beach was an even better idea, he liked nothing better than showing Peyton off and being about to admire her body for which there was no better location than beside the ocean.

Nathan in his haste threw a beach towel into Peyton's huge bag and changed into his swim shorts before she'd even chosen what to do with her hair. He sighed and flopped down on the bed realising that it may be a while before they went anywhere. He tried to tell her that her hair always looked amazing, that it didn't matter what shoes she wore because it was the beach, and that she really didn't need to repaint her toenails before they left but she seemed deaf to his moans.

For a while he watched as she danced around the room throwing things from drawers into her bag and then back into the drawers due to her indecisiveness, then eventually he grew bored.

'Babe, your hair looks great as it is, just chuck a hair tie in the bag, wear flip-flops and don't worry about your nail polish, I can paint your nails when we're there.' He puffed in one long breath.

She turned to him, eyebrows arched, 'You're going to paint my toenails?'

'What?' He replied, 'How hard can it be?'

'Okay.' She surprised him by readily agreeing. She chucked a few more items into her bulging beach bag, grabbed her flip-flops and headed for the door, 'Are you coming?'

He wiped the shock from his face and jumped up to follow her, hoping that Tim had given up trying to break in by this point and was no longer lurking anywhere in the vicinity.

Peyton, knowing that she'd made Nathan wait an unnecessarily long amount of time whilst she got ready reached her hand out behind her for him to take in his own.

She smiled when his fingers linked through hers, 'Thanks for telling me what to pack.'

'Saved us some time.' Nathan smirked opening the French doors that led to the golden sand quite literally on the doorstep. 'I can't believe you didn't know what shoes to wear.'

For the first time that either of them could remember, Peyton had no argument to bite back with; instead she just shook her head in a silent agreement, making her curls bounce wildly. On any other day Nathan was sure that he wouldn't have let her hear the end of it, never did Peyton Sawyer ever admit that she was wrong, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to gloat.

It even shocked Nathan to admit that he didn't want to boast.

Peyton eyed her boyfriend suspiciously but didn't say a word, instead she laid the towels out on the sand and rummaged her magazine and ipod. Nathan sat down beside her and pulled the sun tan lotion from the assortment of items she'd dragged with them from the house mere yards away.

'Hold your hair up.' He instructed as he squeezed a sizable amount of the liquid onto his palms. She did as was told, turning away from him so that he could begin with her back. She closed her eyes behind the mask of her aviator shades as he rubbed wide circles down her spine, taking his time ensuring that every inch of her skin was covered.

'It's a beautiful day.' Peyton remarked, feeling the warmth of the sun's rays beating down over them.

'Hmm.' Nathan agreed but his attention was focussed on her bronzed skin disappearing beneath the navy material of his favourite outfit of her's.

Although she was quite capable, Nathan had taken it upon himself to apply Peyton's lotion not only to her back but her entire frame. He of course took full advantage, taking his own sweet time to caress her fine form from head to toe and not missing the opportunity to kiss her at each available moment.

'You're like a dog on heat!' She cried swatting him away as his hands began to move with as much exhilaration as his tongue, 'There are people around!'

'So what?' He asked unfazed, 'They're probably jealous they're not as hot as us.'

She wrinkled her nose thinking how much he sounded like Brooke in that moment. 'We're not doing anything here. If you're bored you can get to work with the nail varnish.'

'You ruin all my fun.' He whinged but obediently located the purple polish so that he could get to work.

Peyton smiled in a satisfied appreciative manner, sure Nathan could be an ass sometimes but there were moments when she wouldn't change him for the world, moments that no one else saw and no one else would understand but at those times he was like a different guy.

Although she had brought a magazine with her to read, she couldn't tear her eyes from the sight of Nathan concentrating on the tricky task of painting her toenails. His tongue poked out the corner of his mouth as he focussed intently, desperately trying not to smudge his handiwork or accidentally get polish on the skin surrounding the nail. Peyton was almost embarrassed to admit that he was better at it than she was - and she'd had years of practise.

'I don't get it.' He announced after a short time.

'What's there to get?' She shot back, her eyes narrow.

He shrugged, 'Just why? It's a lot of work and for what?'

Peyton blew her bangs out of her eye line, 'I wish I knew.'

Nathan frowned and looked from her bemused expression to the labour of his time. Peyton wiggled her toes and regarded the boy before her, watching the cogs of his mind whirring.

'Man, you talk in riddles sometimes.' He said finally, 'I'm going for a swim, you coming?'

She smiled at his way, 'No, I'm going to stay here and read.'

'Okay.' He leaned in for a quick kiss before heading towards the water lapping gently at the sand.

She watched as he jogged, his toned, athletic build attracting more than just her attention. She smiled to herself, proud for the second time that day that she was Nathan Scott's girl.

For all of the fights, for all of the yelling and for all of the angry words it was worth it for the feeling that was surging through her. She wasn't quite confident to say that it was love exactly but it was the damn nearest thing to it that she'd ever experienced before.

It wasn't a perfect relationship, she knew that, she knew that it was far from perfect but there was an invisible force that pulled them together. It was a strong and intense power that time and time again brought her back into his strong embrace no matter how huge the argument had been.

She wasn't sure that she believed that they would go the distance, she wasn't even sure they'd still be together at the end of the day but she knew that even after a hundred more arguments she'd remember this day. A day when without meaning to, he'd made her feel on top of the world. She loved that he had the power to do that; with just one look or wink he could win her round and make her feel like the only girl in the room. It was the twinkle in his bright blue eyes when he suggested they go somewhere alone; his cocky arrogant shrug when other boys glanced her way; and the way he made her feel electric with every touch. It was a terrible and powerful hold he had over her that even he didn't know the extent of, meaning that no matter how much he royally screwed up, she would take him back; because sometimes there were days like these.

She hated that she'd become dependent on a boy but he made her feel a way that no one else ever had.

He emerged from the water, his skin glistening with sparkling droplets and his hair jet black dripping beads of seawater into his squinting blue eyes; eyes that are focussed solely on her. As she stretches out, the radiant sun beaming down, brilliant music playing in her ear and the hottest guy on the beach heading for her hold and her kiss, she can't help from grinning madly.

'You have no idea how sexy you look right now.' Nathan said as approached her.

'Not looking so bad yourself, Scott.' She returned before pressing a kiss to his lips.

He engaged passionately in response, 'Now are you going to let me lie in your arms so that every guy here knows that you're taken?'

'I think I can manage that.' She said, letting him press his damp skin against hers. 'Don't call me a dork, but let me take a photo.'

'You're a dork, Peyton Sawyer.'

She shook her head and grinned, not caring for a moment. She grabbed the camera and dragged him towards the pier where there was some shade from the glaring sun. Then in her usual commanding manner she ordered a passer-by to snap the shot.

Nathan wrapped his arms around her waist and she settled her hands over them in a warm hug and they beamed at the camera. The stranger took the shot and Nathan dropped a kiss onto his girl's curls.

'It's a keeper.' He whispered.

'Definitely.' She agreed happily, pleased to have the memory of a good day captured on film.

They spent the rest of the morning entwined together, happy for the world to pass them by, content that in that moment all they had was each other and that was enough for both of them.


	2. x and y

_Thanks to everyone who read the first little snapshot and a special thank you to everyone who reviewed! I have a few of these planned, and hopefully when I get my head back to NP the characterisation will improve too._

What I forgot to say last time was that although the idea for this came from what was said in 1x03, the thing that reminded me of that _was a fic by Leijona; Down in the Past. It's her interpretation of how Nathan and Peyton got together and made me think of what they were like before all the drama began to define their relationship. Anyway, I totally recommend the fic and everything else by her, especially if you love NP.___

This is a little NP loving, because sometimes it must have been _more than just about making up. It's not lots of detail, I'll let your imaginations do the work ;)_

Peyton approached her locker, ignoring everyone around her. She was dressed in ripped jeans and an old band t-shirt that was a little too short from being worn and washed so many times, the hem skimmed the top of her hips creating a sliver of mid-drift and exposing her hips in turn as she walked with a swaying motion. Her beat up converse pounded the corridor, her wild hair fell in ribbons down her back, and her lips mouthed the words to the song screaming into her ears through her concealed headphones.

Thanks to the deafening volume of her music, she failed to hear her boyfriend calling her name from across the hall. It wasn't until he rushed up and whacked her lightly on the arm that she was aware of his presence. She pulled the buds from her ears letting the sounds of the busy Monday morning replace the lyrics of The Cure.

Nathan didn't say Hi or ask her how she was; instead he settled his hands on her exposed hips, pushed her gently against the wall of lockers behind her and urged a kiss onto her lips. She grabbed hold of his muscular upper arms and engaged in the kiss, permitting his tongue entry after a few soft tugs on her lower lip.

'I missed you this weekend.' His whispered in a low tone, his warm breath tickling her ear lobe as he did.

Her wide green eyes popped open in surprise, 'You did?'

A short chuckle escaped his lips, 'Course I did. How about we go and catch up now?'

Peyton frowned, 'I've got Algebra.'

He wagged his eyebrows, 'So have I.'

She gave him a disapproving look but she couldn't hide the sparkle in her eye at the mention of breaking the rules.

'What's wrong, Sawyer?' He teased, 'You chicken?'

In response she only pouted.

'Is Goody-Goody Peyton going to go to Algebra like a swat? Sit at the front desk and answer all the questions?' Nathan taunted, 'Or is Peyton going to be the hot, daredevil, badass girlfriend I know she can be?'

Peyton narrowed her eyes, 'If I flunk this semester,'

'It will be totally worth it.' He grinned, 'Come on before some Hall Monitor turns us in.'

She allowed him to steer her in the opposite direction to her class toward the parking lot where his brand new Range Rover sat. She was pleased for the first time to see that Nathan's Dad had spoilt him with the latest model, not because he deserved it but because it had blacked out windows.

'My Dad just gave me it yesterday.' He smirked proudly, 'The back seat needs christening.'

'Charming.' She snorted.

'You can pick the song.' He offered, knowing that she cared a lot more about mood music than he did.

Her eyes shone as she picked through a mental playlist and he smirked realising that he'd won her round with just that short simple sentence.

They heard the bell ring out in the distance, alerting students that they should be at their first period class by this time. The pair shared a grin, feeling the slight rush of excitement at doing something forbidden in such close proximity to the school.

'Are we really going to do this here?' Peyton asked as they slipped into the front seats of the car, a twinge of uncertainty flooding her, 'I mean, right by the quad?'

Nathan shrugged, unfazed by it, 'I've got gym next, there's no point driving somewhere, we'll just have to rush back.'

Peyton nodded in agreement although she would have preferred to leave the premises.

'Babe, relax.' Nathan instructed softly, running his hand along her arm and leaning over to begin a tirade of kisses from her collar bone, 'Choose some music if it'll make you feel better.'

She reached for her ipod; not an easy feat when Nathan was relentlessly tugging at her shirt, found a playlist she'd created when she'd been in an exceptionally good mood and hooked it up.

The music began to ebb from the sound system and instantly she felt better. When Nathan paused to compliment her choice her smile spread and her desire to kiss him was restored.

'This is a good song.' He remarked, taking a second to stop and listen to the quickening beat.

Peyton took the chance to take charge, forcefully taking his head in her hands and crashing her lips against his. If Nathan was surprised in the rapid turnaround in her behaviour he didn't let it show, instead he reacted by pulling her onto his lap in a smooth motion and biting down on her lower lip knowing that it always made her lips part.

He ran his hands beneath her shirt and unfastened the clasp on her bra with a skilled expertise. She groaned as his hands found her bare breasts and he took the time to explore with his fingertips.

'Better than Algebra?' He asked when they both come up for air. He was wearing his arrogant smirk and his bright blue eyes were seeping with _I told you so's _and even though he was mocking her she knew she couldn't ever deny her love of his confidence.

'Most things are better than Algebra.' She argued before pulling him forward by his shirt collar, 'I hope you're prepared to explain to my Dad the F I'm going to get.'

He shook his head at her, 'You worry too much.'

'You don't worry enough.' She returned.

He sighed heavily, 'You could learn a lot from me you know.'

'I don't doubt that you believe that.' She told him stroking his tender spot behind his right ear.

Nathan sank his hands into her curls and delivered a loaded kiss to her waiting lips, 'You should let yourself have some fun, Sawyer.'

'Lead the way.' She whispered.

It wasn't often that she gave Nathan such an invitation and he wasn't stupid enough to waste it. He cautiously guided them to the backseat careful not to knock any of their roaming limbs in the process.

Sometimes for Nathan sex was purely just sex, like all the random hook-ups he had, it was purely for a night of fun, but this was different. He actually wanted to show her a good time, he wanted to hear her sigh his name in appreciation, and he wanted the cheeky flirting that would continue throughout the day after he rocked her world.

At times she could be the grumpiest, moodiest, most God-awful person to be around and he was the first one to admit that she drove him mad, but there were other times like this when she looked into his eyes like her world depended on him. The feeling of her needing him makes his ego inflate somewhat but also makes him happy to fulfil her every wish.

Her captivating olive orbs settled on him and he can see lust swirled deep within them. He saw a glimmer of the girl she was when they first met; a slightly shier, more naive version of the gorgeous specimen before him. He doesn't think he's ever told her but he loves when she lets go of her front and lets a bit of her vulnerability seep through. When he settled his hand over her left breast he could feel the hammering of her heart and the feel of her short, sharp breaths in and out.

A short sharp giggle escaped her as his lips brushed against her stomach and descended towards the waistband of her jeans. As she ran her fingers through his hair he groaned and began ripping at her belt fastening in an attempt to speed things up. In turn she tugged at his t-shirt, pulling it over his head to reveal his toned bare torso.

As Nathan rolled her jeans off her hips he slowed to appreciate her legs, taking in the spectacular sight as they were exposed, inch by glorious inch. Peyton pouted at the delay and nudged him gently with her foot, and then with more force in an effort to get things moving along. He grinned at her impatience and yanked the denim from her ankles before lunging forward to kiss her fervently. His tongue roamed her mouth with a loaded enthusiasm as her legs wrapped around his body leaning over her.

It wasn't not long before their underwear was also lost, thrown in all directions in a frenzy of stripping. The thrill at the risk of being caught eliminated the need for foreplay and soon he was inside her, pumping his hips intensely causing her to cry out in pleasure.

She clamped her hands over her mouth at the sound, her eyes wide with fear, then after a moment the worry was gone and there was a twinkle of exhilaration in its place. There was heat between their bodies; fingers lacing; skin grazing; lips locking.

He wore his arrogant unabashed smirk and she chewed down on her lower lip trying to hold back her screams. She loved his confidence and he loved her tentativeness. Stimulated by the face before them, their actions intensified and soon they reached their separate climaxes.

'Oh God!' She cried out as he groaned a word that she just recognised as being _Sawyer_.

Their rash breathing began to slow and Nathan collapsed onto Peyton, his clammy skin spreading warmth over her exposed chest. She pressed a kiss to his temple, lingering longer than usual. He smiled into her eyes and got his hands lost in her flaxen curls.

'That was hot.' He remarked, 'You are so, so sexy.'

'Stop.' She demanded, a blush rushing to her cheeks.

His fingers ran from her neck to the valley of her breasts, 'I'm not going to shut up about you being sexy, Sawyer.'

She slapped him lightly but there was no masking the ghost of a grin on her lips.

'Same time next week?' He asked cheekily, to which she only suckered her lips, secretly wondering just how important algebra was anyway.

* * *

_Okay so I know it was short but it just felt better this way. Who knows, maybe they'll skip Algebra again sometime! I have more ideas for these but suggestions are always welcome, let me know what you thought, Lexie :)_


	3. Just put your hands on me

_This was kind of a personal challenge to myself; to write a piece with no dialogue at all. I'm not sure how well it's gone but I kind of liked it so I went ahead. It's a bit choppy-changey as it switches thought processes but I guess that's what you get for experimenting outside of your comfort zone. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, Lexie :)_

* * *

They've been flirting like mad all day, he won't admit it and she won't admit it but any idiot can tell.

The tense heat between them has been constantly building with each half smirk he delivers in her direction and every hair flick she subconsciously performs whenever he's nearby. They've barely said a word to one another but it's better that way, sexier.

He's running suicides and she's stretching on the sidelines. He puffs his chest out without realising and she lets a secret smile escape her lips before she can stop herself.

Discreetly, she watches him run, noting the flex of strong athletic muscle; his twinges of smugness when he completes another sprint quicker than anyone else on the team; the damp beads appearing at his hairline as he works up a sweat. His hair, the darkest shade of almost black, is just as she likes it, soft to the touch and fluffy looking but she knows that by the end of practise following his shower it'll look even better; slick and darker still, dripping with water because he's never indulged in anything girly such as drying his hair. She gets lost for a second remembering a kiss; their eyes closed, their tongues engaged and the cool droplets from his just washed hair falling onto her eyelids. When she snaps back to reality she curses the fact that he's caught her staring but doesn't mind too much because it's painted an arrogant smirk across his features and there is nothing hotter than the confidence oozing from the only boy in the room she has eyes for.

She's in a fun mood, and he's going to do anything but complain; he's going to revel in it, spend all of practise teasing and taunting her, basketball or no basketball she's hot for him right now and everything else is falling into second place behind her.

He's running suicides and she's stretching on the sidelines. She stares at him a moment longer than is necessary for this playful game and he grins smugly before he can stop himself.

He watches as her coy smile disappears when she leans forward to touch her fingertips to her toes, causing a golden halo of curls to fall into an angelic splay across her lap. He can smell the intoxicating scent of her shampoo even though she's across the room; he doesn't think he'll ever erase the fragrance from his mind, like summer captured in her wild tresses. He sneaks another glance and thanks her silently for always wearing shorts to practise. There's a reason that shorts and skirts and skimpy little barely even there hot pants were invented and the reason's on the far side of the gym; her never-ending legs. He can almost feel the smoothness beneath his fingertips; nothing much compares to running his hands from her ankles to her inner thighs in anticipating foreplay.

Whitey blows his whistle and he's forced to crowd the coach along with the rest of the team whilst she moves on to even more interesting, flexible exercises. He has no idea what kind of practise the cheerleaders are doing but the way she's preparing for it, he's sure it's going to be distracting.

She scoops her pompoms up from the floor and moves beside her best friend. God knows how she's going to remember the routine what with basketball practise happening right before their eyes.

The music begins and that captures her concentration; it is her mix after all. Brooke counts them in and then moves to survey the group to make sure that they're working in formation. The steps, thankfully come flooding back to her and suddenly she thinks that she might just get through the run-through without Brooke biting her head off due to any mistakes.

Then _their _song comes on. It's not exactly their song, just one of the many that she's assigned to their rollercoaster romance. This is a good one though, not one of the many angsty numbers she's prone to appointing to them. He notices it too, she knows he does because a flicker passes his eyes and he has to look at the ball he's dribbling to focus.

This song happened by accident in fact, there were a lot of roaming hands and not a lot of homework happening at the time, then this song came on the radio and all thoughts of geography were instantly lost. The fact that even Nathan remembers the connection the song has to their relationship shows what kind of moment it was.

It's kind of hard for her to think of anything besides his strong torso when the chorus to _I wanna_ is rippling through the gym.

He suppresses a chuckle when he sees her give up entirely on the steps she's obviously trying not to muck up. He thinks it's her own fault for using that song for their routine.

He winces as he listens to Brooke's ranting but out of the corner of his eye he sees his girl shrug in a bad ass manner as the song continues _Just put your hands on me / I wanna, I wanna, I wanna touch you _and he too totally loses all grasp on what he's supposed to be doing.

He thinks it's about the most worthwhile and enjoyable telling off he's every received from his coach due to the fact that as he gazes past Whitey he sees her smirking dangerously at him. There's something so sexy about her being a bit of a rebel, okay, so she might just be in trouble with the cheer captain but to know that it's because of a memory of them having hot sex is almost more than he can take.

Practise resumes for both parties but unfortunately Brooke's clocked on to what is causing Peyton to lose it and so gets the squad to perform the routine facing the wall. This solves the problem of Peyton's wandering eye but sends Bevin's head into a spin and the ditzy blonde fails to understand that the direction they face has zero impact on which foot she has to high kick with.

Brooke calls a timeout and pulls Bevin to one side to explain that the routine hasn't changed at all in the last two minutes. Peyton takes the opportunity to take a seat on the bleachers watch the guys training.

He sees her move from the fray of gossiping girls towards a seat in the empty crowd and groans at the fact that she's no doubt going to be happily parading her hot body whilst all he can do is steal the odd glance and fall more behind in their little battle of flirt.

As much as he tries to keep all of his attention on the training game they're playing, it's near impossible. Heavy green eyes are interrogating him from afar and he feels her gaze on him constantly. The coach is getting more and more irate whilst Nathan's growing frustrated with how long practise is taking.

She's taking a drink and even though he shouldn't be, he's staring. Purposely she's stretched her long limbs out across the bench and her head's thrown back as she swigs from her water bottle. She's got the advantage over him, she knows it and she's flaunting it.

A smatter of soft laughter breaks through her lips when he's cautioned yet again by the coach for not stepping up his game. He shoots her a look that's supposed to say that she'd better stop getting him into trouble but when she looks into his blue pools all she can see is him mentally undressing her and she knows that she's got the advantage over him.

She plays with her hair, tugs her top down a little and pulls her shorts even further over her hips to expose a little more of her legs to his wandering eye.

He knows exactly what she's doing and he won't be drawn in by it. He won't. Finally he's got the ball and he's unmarked, if he makes the basket maybe Whitey will get off of his back and he can relax.

Even though she's spent the last five minutes working her hardest to make him lose all control, somehow he's still playing better than anyone else on the court and is about to score a basket and he's doing that thing she loves; taking his eyes from the game and settling his gaze on her as he sails towards his goal and slams the ball toward the hoop. She's lost in his cocky stare and she's pretty sure that he's lost in her emerald orbs too.

Her thoughts are confirmed when both of them miss the fact that someone from Defence is about to slam into Nathan in an attempt to block the basket.

Peyton doesn't pay any attention to who the offending guy is, she's on her feet in a flash and rushing from the bleachers as quickly and carefully as possible to get to Nathan who's flat out on the floor.

He groans and blearily opens his eyes. All he can see before him are two wide green eyes and a mane of flaxen ringlets framed in a circle of light. Her expression is a mix of anxiousness and amusement.

It takes a moment for him to remember that he's in the gym and he's just been winded. He watches her blink her perfect mascara lashes a couple of times as she slowly and silently assesses him. It's like the whole world stops for a minute as they stare each other out; searching cool blue meeting with concerned olive green.

She's not sure whether to laugh or to rush and do something productive but the way he's staring back at her, all confused, embarrassed and slightly goofy looking, she finds that she's kind of transfixed. He swallows thickly and then offer a one-sided smile and she knows that he's okay.

It takes a moment, and some elbowing from everyone else crowded around but finally Peyton moves and the guys haul Nathan to a seat.

Practise is pretty much over for both groups by this point; Whitey realises that without his star player morale will take a nose dive and Brooke can see that Peyton's not about to leave Nathan any time soon.

As it is she's rubbing wide circles on his back and whispering to him about what a cheap trick it was to get himself hurt. All day they've been toying with each other but have barely exchanged a sentence that is until he ends up winded on the floor of the gym causing her to rush to him instantly. He smirks, glad that she's not ribbing him for looking like an idiot, instead she's worked it into their little game like he'd planned to do it all along.

He turns to her and brushes his lips against hers.

She brings her fingers to his damp hair, and presses her body flat against his side, her legs straddling the bench so that she can wrap both of her arms around him if the need arises. She pushes for a deeper kiss and he shuffles his weight so that she doesn't have to lean so awkwardly but in doing so he stretches himself a little too far.

They're engaged in a kiss when he cries out in pain and she can feel the hurt when he sucks the air from her as he gasps.

He looks to the floor and takes a few deep breaths as she tries her best to soothe him. He's embarrassed, she knows and he knows but neither makes reference to it; they're not the type to highlight their weaknesses.

Instead she spreads a wide hand across his tight abdomen and bites down on her lower lip, teasing the pain away. She nestles her head against his chest and smiles when she hears the thumping of his heart quicken when she moves closer.

He's hot for her, so damn hot. If he could he'd scoop her up, take her home and lock her in the bedroom but he's in no fit state. He sees Brooke lingering by the door, looking to her best friend expectantly. He nudges his girlfriend, signalling for her to go shopping or gossiping or cheering with the bubbly brunette. She might as well go and have a good night, all he's going to do is go home and lie on his back as his Dad yells at him about the importance of the next game.

She regards Nathan for a second; puzzled that he's telling her to go. His eyes are soft, sincere and a little sad. She shakes her head at Brooke who shrugs and leaves with a couple of the other cheerleaders.

She's knows him better than either of them realises she does and can see the evening that lies before him if he goes back to Dan in such a sorry state. He doesn't deserve that, not when they'd both been looking forward to a hot night together. She's tells him they'll have the long-awaited evening another time but for tonight he should stay at hers so that she can look after him.

They're not that couple; the kind that nurses the other when they get sick but he likes the sound of it all the same.

* * *

He's lying on his front across a rug in her living room and she's towering over him, her hand on the mantelpiece and her foot hovering cautiously above his tail bone.

He sucks in a breath and signals to her to go ahead. His eyes are closed and he's gripping onto the rug like his life depends on it.

She closes her own eyes and steps forward onto his aching back. When he doesn't scream or holler she assumes that their crazed idea is actually working.

He moans gratefully and she grows in confidence, pushing the ball of her left foot in-between his shoulder blades. She shifts her weight back and forth, falling into rhythm with the radio that's playing _Starlight _by Muse. It's not how she envisioned her evening. Well, perhaps she considered Nathan half-naked on the rug but that's about as close as it gets.

After what they both deem to be a successful bit of physiotherapy, Peyton straddles his back and treats him to a massage.

It feels heavenly to have her smooth hands kneading away all of his aches and pains while he lies there in complete bliss. She's humming along to a song he doesn't know and she's not even aware that she's doing it.

He asks her why she didn't go off with Brooke and he sees her eyes glaze in the reflection of the television as she tells him that tonight was supposed to be theirs. He can't help but agree, he's been fantasising about it all day and can't believe his rotten luck that tonight of all nights he's near immobile. She's in a lustful mood and dancing about the place in a skimpy outfit, reminding him of exactly what he's missing out on.

After a dinner of pizza she settles him on the couch with more cushions than is necessary and then proposes that they play a game. He calls her lame but she sees the glint of competitiveness flash in his eyes and so she fetches a stack of board games that haven't seen the light of day in years.

She decides on Connect Four of all things and he calls her lamer still.

He's red, she's yellow and instantly they both realise what a bad idea board games was. They each take their own sweet time to plan their moves and both of them have a game plan. And yes, it's just Connect Four.

It's her turn and she's scrutinising the board as though she's about to make a life-changing decision rather than set her counter down in this game of child's play. He watches her brow crease and nose twitch as she covers every possibility and determines his next move depending on where she chooses to place her piece. She turns the yellow disc between her long fingers as she thinks and uses her free hand to snatch some chips from the bowl she's put out for them. He throws a smile at his girl but she's too absorbed in the game to notice and that makes him smile wider still.

He hates to admit it, and so he doesn't, but he's actually enjoying himself. He doesn't even mind too much when she beats him, it just gives him another opportunity to call her a nerd.

She packs away and pulls out Mouse Trap for which he teases her mercilessly calling her the Queen of Dorksville. She just pokes her tongue out at him.

He's mesmerized by her though, the girl he's just christened as the Queen of Dorks, because really, she's the coolest person he's ever met. From head to toe she screams cool, which of course makes them a well matched couple.

He thinks that one of the reasons that he's so spellbound by her is for her couldn't care less attitude; she's the only girl he's ever had to chase and boy did he love doing it. He'll never understand her, he knows that, but it's all part of her charm. She's nothing like any other girl he's ever met what with her obsessive love for loser rock, her edgy dress sense, and her plain frightening mood swings, but at least there's never a boring moment.

There's no other girl he'd these play lame-ass games with, that's for sure.

The song changes to one that he recognises and a coy smile passes both of their lips. It's the second time it's happened that day which he takes to mean that they have a lot of sex.

She does that thing where she goes to another place whilst she listens to the lyrics and all her thoughts about Mousetrap are abandoned. Suddenly she wants to curl up do normal boyfriend/girlfriend things, which is a rarity for them as a couple.

She loads a movie and sits at the opposite end of the couch to him, draping her distracting legs over his lap as she does so. The opening credits roll but he's too distracted to notice what she's picked out.

He strokes a hand up and down her calf as he stares into her glistening green eyes. She stares right back at him; the boy who's stolen her mind away from her, the boy who just might be stealing her heart as well.

_Just put your hands on me._ They share the same wish.

She moves closer to him, sure not to hurt him but intimate enough for skin to touch skin. She slips one hand beneath his shirt whilst he rests his on the small of her back. He takes her free hand in his and rubs small circles over her skin with the pad of his thumb.

He tells her she's beautiful and she honestly can't remember him saying that to her before. She looks back at him through her thick lashes, a little shocked but thrilled at the same time. She smiles a wide beautiful smile and calls him the King of Dorksville.

Tickling ensues, followed by moans of pain and then a lot of kissing to distract from the pain. And all either of them can think is how lucky they are that they're with the coolest person they've ever met.


End file.
